History

History

Crown Cleaners first opened its doors for business in the 1960s. The city of Knoxville was just beginning to grow westward, and at the time, Bearden Hill was on the edge of town and on the cusp of new residential growth. As professionals with families desired to live in the Bearden area, a laundry and dry cleaning business was a natural fit. Mr Charles Rodgers started the business, with the Bearden Hill store as the lone site until 1988, when Mr Bob Rowan purchased it.

Mr Rowan brought a wealth of knowledge and expertise with him, as his career prior to the purchase had been in the garment industry. His vast knowledge of materials, dyes, weaves, and general fabric care soon became an asset to the business of Crown Cleaners. Over the course of his ownership he expanded the business to include route delivery service, and opened up three other locations in the area. Two of these locations, one in Powell and one in Alcoa have since closed, but the site in West Knoxville at 9409 S Northshore Drive remains. Mr Rowan’s expertise in fabric care helped to solidify Crown Cleaners’ reputation as a premier cleaner in Knoxville.

In the Spring of 2000, Mr Rowan entered into an employment/purchase agreement with Mr Don Holecek. For the next 18 months, Mr Holecek served as apprentice under Mr Rowan, learning not only how to run a small business but also the “tricks of the trade.” In January of 2002, Mr Holecek assumed full ownership. Mr Holecek has also expanded the route delivery service significantly and streamlined operations to include professional training of all employees who work for Crown. Technology and a genuine concern for the environment have been embraced by Mr Holecek and the current staff to better prepare Crown Cleaners for the future.